Container feeding device



Nov. 18, 1941.

Ezgii A. C. EVERETT CONTAINER FEEDING DEVICE Filed June' 14, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Ma 68% M BY ash, QLMCLLQ ATTORNEY Nov. 18, 1941. A. c. EVERETT E 2,262,799

7 CONTAINER FEEDING DEVICE Filed June 14, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTOR Y Patented Nov. 18, 194i 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE azeznsa' CONTAINER FEEDING DEVICE Arthur Clarence Everett, Boston, Mass assignor to Pneumatic Scale Corporation, Limited, Quincy, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts I Application June 14, 1940, Serial No. 340,529

This invention relates to a container feeding device.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved container feeding device arranged to transfer containers in spaced relation from a supply conveyer to a second 'conveyer in order to position the containers on said second conveyer in spaced relation for registra definite path with relation to reciprocatory spaced relation and in operative position with said transferring mechanism.

With these general objects in view, and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the container feeding and transferring device and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a container feeding and transferring device embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 are plan views diagrammatically illustrating the movement and relative positions of the containers during the operation of the device, to be referred to; Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective of the container separating mechanism for positioning the containers in front of their respective pushers; and Fig. 6 is a detail view showing a portion of the bottle elevating mechanism to be referred to.

The present invention preferably contemplates the provision of anovel and efiicient device for controlling the feed of a line of containers disposed in contiguous engagement upon a continuously moving supply conveyer whereby to re-' lease the containers in timed relation to the operation of a transferring. device-adapted to transfer a plurality of containers in definite spaced relation from the supply conveyer: to a second conveyer. The transferring device is Y arranged to be operated in timed relation to the operation of said second conveyer and to dispose the containers thereupon in spaced relation for registration with mechanisms for performing subsequent operations upon the containers. The second conveyer may and preferably will be an intermittently operated belt adapted to convey the spaced containers to intermittently operated mechanisms for operation upon the containers. By way of example, the second belt may form a part of and operate in timed relation to a labeling machine of any usual form now upon the market and in which provision is made for intermittently feeding the articles to be labeled in a mechanisms for applying a label and for wiping the label into intimate contact with the article. Reference is made to the United States patent to C. S. Weeks, No. 1,425,351, August 8", 1922,

which discloses the details of construction and mode of operation of such alabeling inachine. Thelabeling machine illustrated in the Weeks patent was provided with reciprocatory mechanisms for operation upon a single article at a time and, as shown insuch patent, provision was made for feeding successive articles to be labeled in timed relation to the operating devices. The commercial labeling machines, now being manufactured and sold, are in some instances, provided with multiple reciprocating units for simultaneous operation upon at least two articles at a time to thereby increase "the productive capacity of the'machine. In addition, duplicate units are provided upon either side of the conveyer for operating simultaneously upon both sides ofthe articles.

In the illustrated and preferred embodiment of the invention, the feed control device may include a continuously rotated star wheel arranged to hold up the progress of the contiguous line of containers upon the supply conveyer and to release the containers individually to permit them to be advanced to a position in front of the In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the transferring device comprises two pushers arranged in spaced relation so that the star wheel is timed to release two containers each cycle of operation. In operation, the pushers are arranged to transfer the containers during one-half cycle of operation are disposed in their retracted position during the remaining half cycle. In accordance with the present invention, provision is made for delaying the firstcontainer of each pair released by the star wheel to prevent it from being advanced to the transferring mechanism until after the lat-- ter has been returned to its retracted position and the second container of the pair to be advanced is released, whereupon both containers are advanced to the transferring mechanism. Provision is also made for separating or aligning the pair of containers thus released in order to stop them in operative position in front of their respective pushers after they havebeen released, as will be hereinafter described.

Referring now to the drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention, the container feeding and transferring apparatus may include a continuously moving supply conveyer I8 upon which the incoming containers I2,

to a sprocket 12 secured to the top of the star wheel shaft 88. The sprocket 58, as herein shown, is loosely mounted upon the vertical shaft 54 and forms part of aseparable driving. mechanism normally engaged but which is constructed and arranged to slip out of operative engagement in the event that the star wheel should encounter be operated in timed relation-to a multiple unit A labeling machine of the character above referred to. In practice, the intermittently operated conveyer may and preferably will be operated so as to be in motion during one half of a cycle of operation of the labeling machine and at restduring the remaining one-half cycle, and the transferring operation is preferably performed during the half cycle when the intermittently operated conveyer, is at rest. As herein shown. the transferring mechanism includes a pair of pushers I8, 28 mounted for reciprocation with slide bars 22, 24 slidingly mounted in guide brackets 28, 28, secured to the machine frame 88. The slide bars may be reciprocated through any usual or preferred connections, not shown, from the labeling machine and in timed relation thereto, whereby to transfer two containers which have been positioned in proper spaced relation in front of the pushers from the supply conveyer I8 onto the intermittently operated conveyer I6 during the idle period of the latter. Provision is also made for supporting, the opposite sides of the containers during the transferring operation, and as herein shown, av cooperating reciprocable transfer member 32 mounted to slide in abracket 84 is arranged to be operated in timed relation to the pushers I8, 28 during the transferring operation through any preferred mechanism, not shown.

In accordance with the present invention, provision is made for controlling the feed of the containers being delivered on the continuously moving supply conveyer in timed relation to the operation of the transferring mechanism in order to deliver two containers to the pushers I8, 28 during each cycle of operation. I As herein shown, the feed controlling mechanism includes a star wheel 88 comprising upper and lower members arranged to engage the container at different heights and provided with equally spaced teeth or arms 88 adapted to enter between successive containers; as they are delivered thereto and provision is made for rotating the star wheel continuously at a rate of speed such as to permit two containers to be released during each cycle of operation. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the star wheel is mounted upon a vertical shaft 38 arranged to'be driven continuously through connections from a driving shaft 48, forming a part of the labeling machine, and including a. sprocket 42 connected by a chain 44 to a sprocket 48 fast on a short shaft 48 supported in a bracket 58 attached to the machine frame. The short shaft 48 is provided with a spiral gear 58 which meshes with a spiral gear 52 fast on the lower end of a vertical shaft 54 which latter is, joumaled in the supporting bracket 56. The vertical shaft 54 is provided with a sprocket 58connected by a chain 88 to a sprocket 62 fast upon the lower end of a vertically mounted hollow shaft 84 which is arranged to rotate in a bearing member 66 forming a part of the bracket 56. The upper end of the hollowshaft 84 is provided with a sprocket 88 fast thereon which is connected by a chain 18 ward and from the conveyer.

abnormal resistance such as would occur if one of the arms 38 should engage the middle of a container. As herein illustrated, see Fig. 2, the sprocket 58 is provided with a flanged portion 14 having a notch I8 which is adapted to be engaged by a raised portion 18 provided ion a disk 88 rotatable with but vertically slidable upon the shaft 54. A coil spring 82 normally holds the 'disk 88 in operative engagement to drive the sprocket 58 but if a jam occurs between the teeth of the star wheel and a container, the raised portion 18 will slip out of the notch 18 and raisethe disk 88 against the resistance of the spring 82. A r

In the" preferred embodiment of the invention provision is made for adjusting the starwheel unit toward and from the side of the conveyer in order to dispose the rotatable members 38 inv by connections to the bearing member 84 including a link 88 pivotally connected to a lug 82 extending from the bearing. The link 88 is slidingly received in a clamp 84 which is mounted on a vertical stud extending from a boss 88 forming part of 'the bracket 56.

When it is desired toadjust the position of the unit, the clamp nuts I88, I82, are loosened and the link 88 is extended or retracted as required whereiipon the clamp is tightened in its adjusted posi- From the description thusdjar, it will be observed that under normal operating conditions.

successive containers being delivered by the supply'conveyer I8 in contiguous engagement will be received between the arms 88 of the star wheel, and in operation, the supply conveyer I8 is arranged to travel faster than the star wheel, so that the latter will have the effect of holdin back the line of containers and of controlling the feed thereof to the transferring mechanism.-

However, should the supply of containers be. interrupted so thatthere is a space between the containers being delivered-on the supply conveyer, such containersmight be received out of time with the star wheel so that one of the arms 38 would engage the side'of the bottle instead of passing betweensuccessive bottles. In order to avoid this condition, provisionis made in the preferred embodimentof the invention for registering the containers between the teeth of the star wheel so that in the 'event a container arrives at the star-wheel out of time-with the latter, such container will be held back and not permitted to enter until the star wheel has rotated a suflicient distance to allow the container to register between adjacent teeth. As herein shown, a pair of rollers, I84, I86 carried by an arranged to engage the containers as they pass by. Normally, while the containers are delivered continuously and in timed relation, the rollers are held out in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. However, if the containers are not fed regularly or if there should be mspace between successive containers, the roller arm I08 will be rocked by a spring II2; into the path of the oncoming container as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Provision is made for locking the roller arm in its rocked position until the star wheel is in position to receive the container, and as herein illustrated, the locking mechanism may comprise a latch arm II 4 secured to a short vertical shaft H5 and arranged to engage a latch member II8 extending from the roller arm I08 when in timed relation to the operation of the transferring mechanism so as to release two containers during each cycle of operation. However, since as above described, the transferring mechanism is in its retracted position during only approximately one half of a cycle of operation, provision is made for delaying the first container of the pair released each cycle so that two containers the pushers at once during the retracted period.

I As herein illustrated, see Figs. 2 and 6, the delaythe latter is rocked forwardly in theabsence of;a

container.

The latch arm I I4 is arranged to be withdrawn from engagement with the latch member H8 in timed relation to the movement of the star wheel 38 in order to release a container at the proper time to be received between the teeth 88. As

herein shown,-the withdrawal of the latch arm of the bell crank is connected by a link I28 to an arm I30 secured to the top of a vertical shaft I82 rotatably mounted in the hollow vertical shaft 64 as shown in Fig. 2. The lower end of the vertical shaft 64 is provided with a lever I84 fast thereon which is connected by a link I36 to an arm I38 fast upon the lower end of the short vertical shaft II5 upon which the latch arm H4 is mounted. It will be observed.'that the cam H8 is provided with a plurality of raised portions I I8, equal in number to the teeth 88 of the star wheel and the relation of the parts is such that the latch arm 4- is rocked each time a tooth is arrives in position to receive a container. It will be understood that during normal operating conditions, as when the containers are being continuously delivered in timed relation to be received by the star wheel, the roller arm I08 is held back by the engagement of the rollers with the containers so that the latch arm I I4 will not engage the notch in the latch member II6 during such time, but may rest against the curved surface I40 until such time as the roll arm is moved inwardly whereupon the latch arm will drop into the notched portion of the latch member. A spring I42 holds the linkage in operative position to urge the latch into the notch and to hold the roller I20 against its cam II8, but normally when in the position shown in Fig. 1, with the latch arm I I4, bearing against the curved surface I40, the roller I20 is held away. from the cam, as illustrated, but in position to be engaged by the high spots I I9 of the cam. Although the member I I4 is rocked by the cam each time a container is due to arrive, such rockingis effective to release.

the container in timed relation only when a containe'r is late in arriving or is received out of time with the rotation of the star wheel. Thus,- a con- Zainer is prevented from being advanced into a position such that a tooth might jam against the side of a container.

In the'operation of the machine, as described thus far, it will be observed that the containers I2 are released individually from between the arms 38 of the star wheel as the latter is rotated Iii ing mechanism may comprise an elevating. rail I45 disposed between the chains I48, I48 of the conveyer I0 and arranged to lift the first container oil the chainsand to hold it in such raised position until the second container is released by the star wheel and thetransferring-mechanism is in its retracted position. The elevating rail is mounted on top of a vertical rod I50 slidingly mounted in a supporting bar I52 and is arranged to be raised and lowered-in timed relation to the operation of the pushers I8, 20 by a cam I54 fast upon the shaft 48. A roller I56 arranged to cooperate with the cam is carried by one arm I58 of a two armed lever rockingly mounted upon a stud I60 fast in a hub I62 extending from the boss 88. The other arm I64 of the two-armedlever is connected to the rod I50 by 'a swivelled clamp member I66 as shown in Fig. 6. A spring I58 operates to hold the roller I56 against its cam I54. I

In operation, the first container of the pair to be released during one cycle of operation is released during the time when the pushers I8, 20 are in motion and this first bottle is engaged by the elevating bar and raised off the conveyer chains to retard its forward motion. During the toward the transferring mechanism. This relatainers thus released to present them in spaced relation in front of their respective pushers I8, 20. The first container is arranged to pass ,by one pusher I8 and come to rest against a padded stop bar I10 in front of the other pusher 20. However, during its travel the first container is arranged to engage an escapement device indi- (cated generally at I12 and to move the device into a position to stop the second container in front of its pusher I8. As herein shown, the escapement device comprises a pair of two-armed levers, each having arms I14, I16 arranged to engage the upper and lower portions of the containers. The two-armed levers are secured to a vertical rod I18 pivotally mounted in a supporting bracket I attached to a stationary part of the machine. The arms I14, I16 are arranged sub- I stantially at right angles to eachother, and in arms I16 in an angular position substantially degrees from its starting position, as shown in Fig. 1 so that the second container will engage the ends of the arms I16 and be stopped thereby.

A spring I8! is connected to a lever I84 secured to the rod I18 and the spring is mounted in-a manner such as to pass over dead center each' time the arms are moved, whereby to hold them in their moved position uponeither side of the pivot I18. Stop arms I88, I88 forming part of the lever I84 are arranged to engage a stationary pin I85 in the bracket I88 to limit the movement of the arms "4, I16 in either direction.

Provision is made for setting the escapement device each time the pushers are operated so as to be in readiness for the next pair of containers advanced during the following cycle of operation, and as herein illustrated, a resettingpin I88 extending from one arm I82 of a bell crank is arranged to engage one arm "4 and to rock it around to the position shown in Fig. 3 after the pushers I 8, 28 are started on their transferring cycle of operation. A spring I84 connected to a second arm I88 of the bell crank normally urges the pin I88 in a resetting direction. Provision is made for rocking the bell crank to move the resetting pin I88 away from the arms I14 and to render the resetting mechanism inactive during the container receiving period when the pushers are retracted and as herein shown, the pusher member 28 is provided with a roller I88 which is arranged to engage the arm I82 during its. retracting stroke and to hold the resettin mechanism in its inoperative position during-the retracted period. In operation, as soon as the pushers I8, 28 are started forward, the spring I84 is released to enable the mechanism to rock the pin I88 around to perform the resetting operation.

From the above description it will be observed that the present container feeding and transfer-. ring device is enabled to control the feed of the containers in a smooth and continuous manner so as to avoid any sharp impact of the containers with the transferring mechanism, and to deposit the containers in spaced relation upon a second conveyer in a simple and eiiicient manner.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, o

ers in spaced relation from thesupply conveyer to said second conveyer, a star wheel arranged to engage successive contiguous containers in the line and to release them in timed relation to the operation of said transferring device, and means carried by said transferring device for separating the contiguous containers thus released.

3. In a container feeding device of the character described, in combination, a continuously driven supply conveyer adapted to support and convey a line of the containers in contiguous relation, an intermittently driven second conveyer- 4. In a container feeding device of the character described, in combination, a continuously drivensupply conveyer adapted to support and convey a line of the containers in contiguous relation, an intermittently driven second conveyer disposed in parallel relation to said supply conveyer, for supporting and delivering containers transferred thereon from said supply conveyer, a multiple transferring device comprising a plurality of simultaneously operated pushers arranged in spaced relation and adapted to transfer the containers from the supply conveyer to said second conveyer, meansfor releasing a number of containers from said line corresponding to the vice for registering the containers thus released Having thus described the invention, what'is claimed is:

Y i. In a container feeding device of the character described, in combinatio 'a continuously driven supply conveyer adapted .to supportvand convey a line of the containers in contiguous relation, an intermittently driven second conveyer disposed in parallel relation to said supply conveyer for supporting and delivering containers transferred thereon from said supply conveyer, a transferring device adapted to transfer containers in spaced relation from the supply ,conveyer to said second conveyer, timing mechanism constructed and arranged to release successive containers from said line in timed relation to the operation of said transferring device, and means carried by said transferring device for separating thecontiguous containers thus released.

2. In acontainer feeding device of the character described, in combination. a continuously driven supply conveyer adapted to support and convey a line of the containers in contiguous relation, an intermittently driven second conveyer disposedin parallel relation to said supply conveyer for supporting and delivering containers transferred thereon from said supply conveyer, a

transferring device adapted to transfer containwith respect to their respective pushers.

'5. In a container feedingdevice of the character described, in combination, a continuously driven supply conveyer adapted to support and convey a line of the containers in contiguous relation, an intermittently driven second conveyer disposed in parallel relation to said supply conveyer for supporting and delivering containers transferred thereon from said supply conveyer, transferring mechanism adapted to transfer a plurality of containers from thesupply conveyer to said second conveyer, said transfer mechanism being timed to be in its retracted position during the moving period of said intermittently driven second conveyer and being operative to transfer the containers during the idle period in the operation of said second conveyer, timing mechanism constructed and arranged to release-a plurality of containers from said line corresponding to the number to be transferred during each cycle of operation, and means carried by said transferring device for separating the contiguous containers thus releasedr.

6. In a container feeding device of the charferred thereon from said supply conveyer,trans-- ferring mechanism adapted to transfer'a plurality of containers from the supply conveyer to said second conveyer, said transfer mechanism being timed to be in its retracted position during the moving period of said intermittently driven second conveyer and being operative to transfer the containers during the idle period in the opera on of said second conveyer, a star wheel arrnged to engage successive containers being conveyed by said supply conveyer andto release a plurality thereof corresponding to the number to be transferred during each cycle of operation, and means for delaying the advance of the containers thus released to the transferring mechanism until the latter has been moved to its retracted position.

7. In a container feeding device of the character described, ,in combination, acontinuousl, driven supply conveyer adapted to support and convey a line of containers in contiguous relation, an intermittently driven second conveyer for supporting and delivering containers transferred thereon from said supply conveyer, transferring mechanism adapted to transfer a plurality of containers from the supply conveyer to said second conveyer, said transfer mechanism being timed to be in its retracted position during the moving period of said intermittently driven second conveyer and being operative to transfer the containers during the idle period in the operation of said second conveyer, a star ,wheel arranged to engage successive containers being conveyed by said supply conveyer and to release a plurality thereof corresponding to the number to be transferred during each cycle of operation, and means for delaying the advance of the containers thus released to the transferring mechanism until the latter has been moved to its retracted position, said last named means comprising an elevating platform arranged to lift the released containers off the continuously moving supply conveyer and to hold them in an elevated position until said transferring mechanism is retracted.

8. In a container feeding device of the'character described, in combination, a continuously driven supply conveyer adapted to support and convey a line of the containers in contiguous relation, an intermittently driven second conveyer for supporting and delivering containers transferred thereon from said supply conveyer, trans- .ferring mechanism adapted to transfer a plurality of containers from the supply conveyer to said second conveyer, said transfer mechanism being timed to be in its retracted position during the moving periodof said intermittently driven second conveyer and being operative to transfer the containers during the idle period in the operation of said second conveyer, a star wheel arranged to engage successive containers being conveyed'by said supply conveyer and to release a plurality thereof corresponding to the number to be transferred during each cycle of operation, means for delaying the advance of the containers thus released to the transferring mechanism until the latter has been moved to its retracted position, and means for-registering the containers thus released in spaced relation with respect to said transferring mechanism.

9..In a container feeding device of the character described, in combination, a continuously driven supply conveyer adapted to support and convey a line of the-containers in contiguous relation, an intermittently driven second conveyer for supporting and delivering containers trans-,

ferred thereon from said supply conveyer, transferring mechanism adapted to transfer a plurality of containers from the supply conveyer to said second conveyer, said transfer mechanism being timed to be in its retracted position during the moving period of said intermittently driven second conveyer and being operative to transfer the containers during the idle period in the operation of said second conveyer, a star wheel arranged to engage successive containers being conveyed by said supply conveyer and to release a plurality thereof corresponding to the number to be transferred during each cycle of operation, means for delaying the advance of the containers thus released to the transferring mechanism until the latter has been moved to its retracted position, and means for registering the containers thus released in spaced relation in front of said transferring mechanism, said last named means ranged to permit passage of the first container and to be moved by such container into a position to stop a succeeding container in another predetermined position in front of said transferring mechanism.

10. In a container feeding device of the char-- acter described, in combination, a continuously driven supply conveyer adapted to support and convey a line of the containers in contiguous relation, an intermittently driven second conveyer for supporting and delivering containers transferred thereon from said supply conveyer, transferring mechanism adapted to transfer a plurality of containers from the supply conveyer'to said second conveyer, said transfer mechanism being timed to be in its retracted position during the moving period of said intermittently driven second conveyer and being operative to transfer the containers during theidle period of operation of said second conveyer, and timing mechanism including a rotary member arranged to engage successive containers being conveyed by said supply conveyer and to release a plurality thereof during each cycle of operation, said member being continuously rotated at a uniform an-' gular velocity and in timed relation to said transferring mechanism, and means for delaying the advance of the containers thus released to the transferring mechanism until the latter has been moved to its retracted position,

11. I). a container feeding device of the character described, in combination, a continuously driven supply conveyer adapted to support and convey a line of the containers in contiguous relation, an intermittently driven second conveyer disposed in parallel relation to said supply conveyer for supporting and delivering containers transferred thereon from said supply conveyer, a transferring device adapted to transfer two containers in spaced relation from the supply conveyer to said second conveyer, a star wheel arranged to engage successive contiguous containers in the line and to release them in timed relation to the operation of said transferring device, said star wheel being continuously rotated at a uniform angular velocity so as to release two containers during each cycle of operation of the transferring mechanism, and means carried by said transferring device for separating said two containers and for disposing them in operative relation to said transferring device. 

